I enjoy reading a variety of genres. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut if you read the same type of books over and over. So mixing it up keeps me stay on top of the game if you will.
This week I was asked to review an upcoming suspense thriller by a brand new author. Looking for a new spin on a popular theme, I was pleased this author delivers a fresh, engrossing plot. Read on for my full review.
The Woman Outside My Door by Rachel Ryan
ISBN-13: 978-1982151614
Publisher: Gallery Books (January 5, 2021)
ABOUT:
All children have imaginary friends, Georgina tells herself. It’s perfectly normal, and they all grow out of it in the end. But when her seven-year-old son, Cody, tells her about New Granny, the new friend he’s met in the park, Georgina is instantly suspicious. Something—call it maternal instinct—tells her he isn’t making it up.
But maybe Georgina is losing her mind. It wouldn’t be the first time, after all. And with her own mother’s recent death leaving her bereft and trying to cope with life as a busy working mom, it’s no wonder she’s feeling paranoid that Cody has invented a “New Granny” to replace his beloved grandmother.
Her husband, Bren, becomes the voice of reason, assuring Georgina that it’s just a game, the product of their son’s overactive imagination. But what if Cody’s imaginary friend is not so imaginary after all?
The Woman Outside My Door by Rachel Ryan Review
When you read as many books as I do you kind of find the layouts of the genres to be very similar. You can actually break the book into pieces and know when to expect certain things to happen in the story.
This new author dismantled that structure just a bit with this fresh story. It’s a haunting look at dealing with grief and healing through loss.
Ryan takes a reasonable explanation for a child losing a grandparent and turns that into something that could be much more sinister. But maybe Georgina is making it up. After all, she’s very stressed and is not always in her right mind.
The author has inserted ample opportunities to sprinkle reasonable and unreasonable situations coupled with that “what-if” doubt throughout the story to throw us off the path. I wanted to really like her husband, Bren, and while he seems supportive, there are other little shades of gaslighting that show up unexpectedly.
While Ryan could’ve gone down the traditional route, the author spins us with interesting situations that seem a bit out there in a normal family structure.
The Woman at My Door is a haunting and frightful story that honestly isn’t that far-fetched. With imaginative spins and theories, Ryan ramps up the story with each page turn.
Ryan is a fresh new voice in the suspense thriller genre. She will be one author that you want to watch.
Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free ebook so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.
Hi! I’m Chris! Just a Midlife Wife sharing about life’s journey; screaming and kicking through it while supposedly aging gracefully…
Focusing on healthy living, low carb & keto, things I am loving right now, and life in general.